The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is inviting 39 projects in 16 states and D.C. to apply for Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans. Together, the selected borrowers will receive WIFIA loans totaling approximately $5 billion to help finance over $10 billion in water infrastructure investments and createRead More

Great Lakes Water Authority’s WRAP Program Aims to Put Customers on a Path to Self-Sufficiency A widely-held viewpoint across the municipal water sector is that water distribution and sewage collection service is underpriced. Water and sewer authorities operate primarily with funding from rate increases but still fall severely short inRead More

Efficiently Managing Lead Testing and Data Collection Is Becoming More Prevalent for Water Utilities as LCR Mandates Evolve Professionals across the U.S. water sector would likely admit that while it was a catastrophic event, the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, stemming from 2014, pushed the topic of water infrastructure intoRead More

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is honoring 20 water utilities, manufacturers, builders and organizations for protecting the environment by creating and promoting WaterSense-labeled fixtures, homes and programs. EPA’s WaterSense partners have helped Americans save more than 2.7 trillion gallons of water and $63.8 billion on utility bills since 2006.Read More

Commissioners at the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) have announced the selection of Arthur A. Elkins, Jr., as inspector general. Since 2010, Elkins has served as inspector general for both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. “I am excited about theRead More

In August, EPA’s National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) released a draft report providing recommendations to the agency on water infrastructure investment. The document, entitled EPA’s Role in Addressing the Urgent Water Infrastructure Needs of Environmental Justice Communities, outlines suggested actions EPA should take to address water infrastructure challenges in disadvantaged communities. Among theRead More

By Mike Keegan On July 5, President Donald Trump tweeted that U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt had resigned from his position as the head of the agency. The acting administrator is now Andrew Wheeler, who previously served as deputy administrator. Wheeler has pledged to implement Pruitt’s agendaRead More

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced that the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program has received a record 62 letters of interest requesting $9.1 billion in credit assistance. “The more than $9 billion in WIFIA loans requested is nearly double our lending capacity for 2018, demonstratingRead More

Earlier in August, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly approved FY19 appropriations legislation that would provide level funding for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its water infrastructure financing programs next year. The minibus, approved by a 92-6 vote, joined together four bills, including the fiscal 2019 EPA-Interior budget bill, a Financial ServicesRead More

As part of a draft infrastructure bill released last week by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program would be reauthorized at $250 million over five years. According to the Association of Metropolitan WaterRead More